Episode 218: Return of the Martial Arts Instructor
The cadets stood in stunned silence, their mouths agape as they stared at Baek Gong-bo, who lay unconscious some distance away.
No one had expected Baek Gong-bo to be flung aside so effortlessly.
“Just how strong is this instructor?” they wondered, their disbelief palpable.
Unfazed by their reactions, Sa Bi-gang nonchalantly examined his fingers, tilting his head slightly.
“Did I overdo it?” he mused aloud, shrugging his shoulders. He then addressed Baek Gong-bo, who was still sprawled on the ground.
“We just finished the construction, and you went and broke the wall. You’ll have to pay for the repairs yourself.”
A few cadets rushed over to help Baek Gong-bo to his feet. He looked between his arm and Sa Bi-gang, disbelief etched on his face.
Sa Bi-gang spoke again, his tone casual. “Don’t cry about it. I’ll fix your arm.”
Though Baek Gong-bo felt a surge of indignation, he couldn’t muster a response. He had already lost the fight. The defeated have no words.
Meanwhile, the martial artists gathered in the training ground realized that Sa Bi-gang was far stronger than they had anticipated, and their hostility intensified.
Sa Bi-gang, seemingly indifferent, continued speaking. “Since you all need a sense of belonging, I’ve decided on a name for this group.”
“What is it?” Bang Gak asked.
With a sly grin, Sa Bi-gang replied, “From now on, you’re the Newborn Squad.”
“Does that mean you’ll make us into gods?” someone quipped.
“Hmm? Not quite.”
“Then what does it mean?”
“Your martial skills are about as developed as a newborn’s.”
“What did you say?” Bang Gak shouted, his temper flaring.
The other martial artists glared menacingly, their hostility palpable.
A lazy chuckle echoed from somewhere in the crowd. All eyes turned to a man who was yawning, having just woken up. He had maintained a sleepy demeanor since Sa Bi-gang’s arrival. Known as the Sleepy Sword Demon, his name was Ong Gi-seung.
“Haam, interesting. Newborns, huh?”
“You certainly sleep as much as one,” Sa Bi-gang remarked.
“Hehe… Sorry, I’ve been practicing the Sleepy Sword Technique.”
“No need to apologize.”
“But haam, I have a question…”
“What is it?”
”…Zzz…”
”…”
”…Oh! I dozed off. What did you say?”
Sa Bi-gang frowned slightly. “I asked what your question was.”
“Oh, right. I understand you’re strong, Instructor… But how do you plan to teach us?”
“I’ll teach you naturally.”
“Naturally? Haam, but being strong and teaching are different things. What if we… what if we…”
“Stop dozing and finish your sentence!”
“Oh! Sorry. Yes… What if we lose interest in your lessons and decide not to participate?”
“That won’t happen. You’ll find the mission I assign you very engaging.”
“A mission?”
“Yes. While I’m your instructor, you’ll have one mission. Once someone completes it, the lessons will end.”
“Hmm. Intriguing. So, if we complete the mission, the lessons are over…”
Bang Gak, who had been listening, raised his hand. “So, anyone among us can complete this mission?”
“Yes. Once it’s completed, there won’t be any more lessons, even if you want them.”
“What exactly is this mission?”
“To assassinate me.”
”…”
The room fell silent, the only sound a gust of wind blowing through.
Finally, Ong Gi-seung, startled, looked around. “Huh? What did you say? I was dozing off.”
Sa Bi-gang repeated himself. “Your mission is to assassinate me. Welcome to the Assassination Classroom.”
“What? Are you serious?”
Even Ong Gi-seung, now fully awake, widened his eyes in surprise.
Maeng Ga-sook squinted and asked, “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely.”
“You’re saying we can assassinate you?”
“Yes. But hiring an assassin is not allowed. You must do it yourselves.”
“Can we work together?”
“Of course. You’re already a team.”
“Then it won’t be easy.”
“Heh. A pile of trash is still just a pile of trash, no matter how big.”
Once again, the air was thick with hostility.
Sa Bi-gang nodded approvingly. “Good, good. That’s the spirit. Use that determination to try and assassinate me. Some of you would probably try to kill me given the chance anyway. Might as well do it properly. Just be prepared to get beaten up.”
The cadets, now the Newborn Squad, exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves.
“Is he serious?”
“Does he really want us to assassinate him?”
“If we pull it off, we could become legends in the underworld. Haha.”
“That instructor must be crazy.”
Just then, Yoo Song-ryeong shouted, “So, are there no regular lessons?”
“Of course there are. Lessons will continue as usual.”
“And you won’t complain if we kill you during a lesson? Not that a corpse can complain.”
“Naturally. Assassinations don’t follow a schedule.”
“Hahaha. This is going to be fun!”
Yoo Song-ryeong laughed brightly, and the other squad members wore sly smiles.
Where else could you find a class like this? Being tasked with assassinating your instructor. It must mean he’s confident in his skills. It’s certainly unconventional.
Meanwhile, Jeok Mu-rin watched Sa Bi-gang with a mix of surprise and admiration. “Is this bravado?” he wondered. But it didn’t seem like mere bravado. From what he’d seen, this instructor was bold but not reckless.
“Well, he won’t last long,” he thought with a wry smile.
On the other hand, Chu Ryang felt a pang of anxiety. [Master! If you die here, I’ll be left alone in the heart of the Blood Sect!]
[You’re already thinking about my death? How ungrateful.]
[No, that’s not it…!]
[Don’t worry. I’m invincible.]
Sa Bi-gang grinned mischievously.
**
“You assigned them assassination as a mission?”
Ryu Yeo-jung turned sharply, incredulous.
Dok Go-jin replied, “That’s right. Isn’t it insane?”
“Are you sure you heard correctly?”
“Absolutely. He told the cadets—well, the Newborn Squad now—to try and assassinate him while he’s their instructor. But he warned them to be ready for a beating.”
“That’s…”
“I couldn’t believe it at first either. But it’s true. He wasn’t speaking in metaphors. He genuinely instructed them to assassinate him.”
“And are all the squad members participating?”
Ryu Yeo-jung asked, and Dok Go-jin shook his head.
“Most of them are, but three have opted out.”
“Who are they?”
When Dok Go-jin named them, Ryu Yeo-jung’s expression grew serious.
“Those three…”
“Heh. The ones participating are just rookies.”
Ryu Yeo-jung nodded in silent agreement. The three who opted out were formidable, incomparable to the others.
After a moment of contemplation, Ryu Yeo-jung murmured, “This time, it seems Sa Bi-gang has made a mistake.”
“Indeed. If he knew about them, he wouldn’t have said such a thing. But what can you do? His arrogance led him to this blunder. He’s digging his own grave. Hahaha!”
Dok Go-jin’s laughter echoed through the room.
**
That night, Hong Yeom paid a visit. He, too, was impressed by the transformed accommodations.
“Looks like you can live comfortably now.”
“Heh. I figured I should start valuing myself more.”
“Wise decision.”
“So, how’s the situation?”
“We’ve tracked the merchant’s trail.”
Sa Bi-gang’s eyes gleamed at Hong Yeom’s report. “Really? Where is he?”
“We confirmed he entered Songak County, not far from here, but he disappeared there.”
“That suggests he has someone helping him.”
“It seems so. Perhaps he realized we were on his trail.”
“I see.”
“And there’s something else concerning.”
“What is it?”
“It appears another group is also interested in the merchant.”
“Another group? Are they after him like us, or are they already in contact?”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t determined that yet.”
“Hmm.”
“But…”
“But?”
“Though it’s not certain, it seems the Blood Sect might be involved.”
“The Blood Sect?”
Sa Bi-gang wasn’t entirely surprised. He had suspected the masked men who kidnapped Seol Baek might be connected to the Blood Sect.
“So, someone here wants to contact or is already in contact with that merchant.”
Sa Bi-gang nodded slightly, then instructed, “Find out who the merchant’s backers are as soon as possible. And see if anyone from the Blood Sect is involved.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, and you’ll need this next time you come.”
Sa Bi-gang tossed something to Hong Yeom, who caught it swiftly. It looked like a metal token, engraved with mysterious symbols.
“This is…?”
“You’ll need it to enter next time.”
”…?”
“It’s like a kind of key. So don’t forget it.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Hongyeom bowed respectfully, then vanished without a trace.
It was stealth like that of a ghost.
Once his presence had completely disappeared, Sabigang walked to a corner of the room and placed a hand on the wall.
A small section of the wall slid inward, revealing a drawer-like space that emerged smoothly.
The bottom of the secret drawer was lined with red cloth, covered in incomprehensible symbols, much like the item he had given to Hongyeom.
Sabigang took a small orb from his pocket and placed it inside the drawer.
With a soft whir, the drawer slid back into the wall.
In the next moment,
Whoosh!
A faint wave of light rippled outward in all directions.
‘It’s done.’
Sabigang smiled with satisfaction.
The barrier was finally complete.
Now, no one could enter this place without his permission.
Unless, of course, they had a magical tool like Hongyeom.
‘Come to think of it, I should give one to Churyang as well.’
From the very beginning, Sabigang had designed this place with the barrier in mind.
As a result, the building was layered with all sorts of demonic barriers.
Yet, the workers who had constructed it were completely unaware.
Even a seemingly insignificant cornerstone was, in fact, essential for the demonic barrier.
‘Well then, I think I’ll stretch out and get some sleep tonight.’
Sabigang stretched luxuriously and lay down on the soft bed.